The Foreign Ministry has asked the IAF to discontinue the flights over Lebanese territory in the wake of an incident that created waves with the French government.
Officials maintain that some of the flights are unnecessary provocations of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) troops on Lebanese soil.
Daniel Sheck, Israel’s envoy to France was summoned by the French Foreign Ministry earlier this month to discuss the incident that sparked the furor which prompted the move.
Israeli jets went into a nose dive over a French encampment in Lebanon last month, sending the UNIFIL troops into battle alert status.
The commander of the French contingent to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said his troops were “seconds away” from launching an anti-aircraft missile at the aircraft.
The French Foreign Minister announced last week that Israel has stopped the surveillance flights. Israel has not confirmed or denied the statement.
The incident brought renewed calls from the United Nations and Lebanon for Israel to stop the surveillance flights, which they say violate the U.N.-brokered ceasefire agreement. U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 calls for Israel to withdraw IDF troops from Lebanon.
Resolution 1701 also calls for a ban on sale or supply of arms to entities or individuals in Lebanon, including Hizbullah, as well as the disarming of "all armed groups in the country." UNIFIL has categorically refused to disarm Hizbullah, and so has the Lebanese government.
The resolution did not specifically mandate the release of the two IDF reservists kidnapped on July 12 by Hizbullah terrorists.
Kobi Marom, a former IDF commander in eastern Lebanon, told Arutz-7 on Tuesday that Israel has an obligation to continue the flights so long as Hizbullah remains armed. The intelligence-gathering flyovers are being used to update years-old information about Hizbullah movements and its efforts to re-arm and rebuild its infrastructure.
Defense Minister Amir Peretz previously has stated that Israel would continue the flights because of continuing efforts by Hizbullah terrorists to smuggle weapons. The terror organization enjoys generous financial and other support from Syria and Iran. Both countries are actively helping Hizbullah to replenish its arsenal.
Officials maintain that some of the flights are unnecessary provocations of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) troops on Lebanese soil.
Daniel Sheck, Israel’s envoy to France was summoned by the French Foreign Ministry earlier this month to discuss the incident that sparked the furor which prompted the move.
Israeli jets went into a nose dive over a French encampment in Lebanon last month, sending the UNIFIL troops into battle alert status.
The commander of the French contingent to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said his troops were “seconds away” from launching an anti-aircraft missile at the aircraft.
The French Foreign Minister announced last week that Israel has stopped the surveillance flights. Israel has not confirmed or denied the statement.
The incident brought renewed calls from the United Nations and Lebanon for Israel to stop the surveillance flights, which they say violate the U.N.-brokered ceasefire agreement. U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 calls for Israel to withdraw IDF troops from Lebanon.
Resolution 1701 also calls for a ban on sale or supply of arms to entities or individuals in Lebanon, including Hizbullah, as well as the disarming of "all armed groups in the country." UNIFIL has categorically refused to disarm Hizbullah, and so has the Lebanese government.
The resolution did not specifically mandate the release of the two IDF reservists kidnapped on July 12 by Hizbullah terrorists.
Kobi Marom, a former IDF commander in eastern Lebanon, told Arutz-7 on Tuesday that Israel has an obligation to continue the flights so long as Hizbullah remains armed. The intelligence-gathering flyovers are being used to update years-old information about Hizbullah movements and its efforts to re-arm and rebuild its infrastructure.
Defense Minister Amir Peretz previously has stated that Israel would continue the flights because of continuing efforts by Hizbullah terrorists to smuggle weapons. The terror organization enjoys generous financial and other support from Syria and Iran. Both countries are actively helping Hizbullah to replenish its arsenal.